Locked On Angels - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Angels

Summary: Welcome to Locked On Angels, your No. 1 stop for daily Los Angeles Angels podcast, hosted by Taylor Blake Ward. Follow along daily, as we venture into an exciting era of Angels baseball where Mike Trout is reaching the pinnacle of greatness (now on a lifetime contract), Shohei Ohtani is rewriting the script on what players are capable of and Albert Pujols chases the legends of the sport. Enjoy an array are special guest appearances, and gain some insight into baseball's past with former players and the future with daily prospect updates and evaluations. Here at Locked On Angels, we're here to provide deep insight into your favorite team while basking in the perfect Southern California weather. Locked On Angels is part of the Locked On Podcast Network.

Podcasts:

Less than a week until Opening Day, and the Angels' roster picture continues to become clearer by the day as each corresponding move is made. Nick Tropeano, Parker Bridwell, and David Fletcher will all be sent down to Salt Lake, which leaves plenty of questions surrounding the roster in Anaheim to start the season. Will Jefry Marte make the squad? If he does, where will he earn his at-bats? Will Andrew Heaney be able to avoid the disabled list in April? How will the starting rotation shake up? Oh, right, and Shohei Ohtani will definitely be on the big league roster.All that, plus your question in the Friday Mailbag!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Shohei Ohtani has been all but confirmed to begin the season with the big league club, it's time to speculate as to what the rest of the roster will look like with one week until Opening Day.Almost all of the position player spots are locked in. The bulk of roster questions lie in the makeup of the starting rotation and bullpen to begin the season. Does Andrew Heaney begin the year on the disabled list? Will Parker Bridwell crack the bullpen? What will Billy Eppler do with Noe Ramirez, Luke Bard, and every other name competing for a bullpen spot?Thursday also means the weekly Gear Grinder, where this time we rant on how responsible franchises account for injuries well ahead of time, making it an expectation instead of a reaction. Tune in to find out more!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locked On Angels - March 21st, 2018 - Meaningful September Baseball is All We Can Ask For | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 2076

Alright, so Alex Cobb was a pipe dream, and question marks still plague the Angels' entire pitching staff. But going into 2018, this team is seen as a contender, and that is quite awesome.Sometimes, as sports fans, we get spoiled with successful eras of our favorite organizations and forget just how hard it is to sustain excellence in professional sports. Sustained success is the exception to the rule, to be sure. As Angels fans, the optimism heading into this regular season feels fresh, as if the entire franchise has been reborn. Meaningful September baseball is all we can ask for as baseball fans.Later in the show, we continue with our Wild West Wednesday segments, this time previewing the Seattle Mariners. Can Dee Gordon get it done in center field? Are Robinson Cano and Nelson Cruz still hitters to be feared at the plate? The same question can be asked of Felix Hernandez on the mound. This Mariners team seemingly packs little punch, and we discuss on the episode.Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels. Subscribe to us on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Play, and leave us an awesome review!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So close to breaking spring camp fully healthy, the Angels suffered their first injury setback of 2018, with Andrew Heaney being shut down from his next spring start with elbow inflammation.Bill Eppler spoke highly of the team's rotation depth during the offseason, and it appears that that depth will be tested in the early portion of the season. Given the struggles of Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Skaggs this spring, as well as the injury history of the rest of the rotation, there are legitimate concerns about the pitching staff moving forward.Could this be the time for the Halos to make a move for outside help, such as Alex Cobb? The slow moving free agent market is now creeping into late March, and perhaps the former Rays' right-hander can be had at quite the deal. Surely Eppler will perform his due diligence, as Cobb would be a tremendous fit for a very questionable starting rotation.Lastly in the show, we go Down on the Farm, and provide an update on what top prospects to watch during the final week of Cactus League action. Can David Fletcher stay sizzling at the plate and make the Opening Day roster? Tune in and find out!Do not forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tough outing for Shohei Ohtani brings us more questions than answers as to how the young right-hander will perform this season, leading many to believe he is not ready for big league baseball quite yet.After the 7-run barrage at the hands of the Rockies, we digest the information we have on Ohtani, and speculate as to whether or not the Angels should start him in Salt Lake in AAA to start the season. Later, the Studs and Duds of the weekend are highlighted, notably with Zack Cozart and Kole Calhoun looking primed and ready to go for Opening Day. Lastly, an update on where some roster battles stand with less than one week of baseball in Arizona left. Tune in!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels and subscribe to the show on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You made it to the last day of the week, and we bring you a heavy dose of mailbag questions for Friday's episode.Blake Parker has looked shaky at best, can he rebound in time for Opening Day? Will the Angels sneak in and make a roster move before the season starts? If so, which players make the most sense? When will we see Jo Adell in Anaheim?All of these questions and more in today's episode, including the finale of our ongoing series on why the Angels will miss the postseason in 2018. Tune in!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Locked On Angels - March 15th, 2018 - This is Good for Minor League Baseball, I Promise | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1611

Gear Grinder Thursday comes out with a vengeance today, as Major League Baseball released brand new pace-of-play changes and initiatives for Minor League Baseball this season. Chief among them? Extra innings beginning with a runner on second base.The baseball world immediately exploded with how this is appalling and is in fact, not baseball. If this were a rule change for the Major League level, this would be a perfectly rational response. But in the minors? Where teams routinely change their names to popular food items such as Tacos and Cheesesteaks or give away bobbleheads of obscure celebrities? It's perfect.In the minors, developing young prospects should not have to exceed pitch counts or pitch without proper rest between appearances to win a Single-A game in July. 20 year olds do not need to be taking their 9th at-bat of the night around midnight with an 8-hour bus ride to the next city looming. Guys who are learning the game and learning what it takes to be a professional baseball player are not ready. You don't run 3 miles a day for 4 weeks and immediately sign up for a marathon.Take a listen and at least digest the other side of the argument. Would this rule be ok at the Major League level? Absolutely not, I'm there with you. But in the minors? Why the heck not.Be sure to subscribe to us on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, and Google Play, and follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We continue on with our reason why the Angels will miss the postseason in 2018, this time examining the question marks surrounding the bullpen.Blake Parker returns from a stellar 2017 season, but can he put it all together this summer? Keynan Middleton has flashed promise, but consistency is key. Jim Johnson comes off his struggles the past few seasons, and Cam Bedrosian must fight off injury concerns that derailed his 2017. And those are the guys who are all expected to log heavy innings for the Halo bullpen this summer.Our Wild West Wednesday today examines the Oakland Athletics, who many are overlooking heading into 2018. With Matt Olson and Matt Chapman coming off very surprising and productive seasons, the A's are primed as a dark horse candidate to possibly contend for the final playoff spot in the American League. Crazy? Maybe not as much as you think...Lastly, we conclude with Shohei Ohtani once again. Is there even the slightest chance he begins the season in the minor leagues? Tune in and find out!Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, or subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify!Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last week, we ran through reason for optimism and why the Halos will make the playoffs. This week, the pessimist's view, examining why the club will miss the postseason.While a six man rotation may keep every pitcher in the rotation fresh and injure-free, the health history of the squad says otherwise. Garrett Richards has made 12 starts in two seasons. Shohei Ohtani is coming off an injury-plagued season of his own. Andrew Heaney and Tyler Skaggs have shown promise, but lengthy disabled list stints and surgeries have stunted that enthusiasm. Question marks surround the rotation, creating a huge chasm of potential for the entire club this season. Tuesday also means a trip Down on the Farm, examining the top prospects at Angels camp in Tempe, updating everyone on the progress of Matt Thaiss, Rymer Liriano, and David Fletcher.Lastly, everyone needs to breathe and leave Shohei Ohtani alone. Tune in and find out why!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another week of the show kicks off with a phenomenal guest, Taylor Ward of 247 Sports, sharing his thoughts on spring baseball so far, and what to expect come Opening Day.Shohei Ohtani begins the conversation, as do most chats with guests, before delving into the battles deciding final roster spots in the organizations. There might be something brewing in the outfield, as Chris Young continues to miss time. Ward even brings a newer name to the conversation to keep an eye on for the final infield spot on the roster.Later this week, we'll bring you 4 reasons why the Angels will not make the 2018 postseason, also known as our glass half-empty approach after last week's episodes.Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once thought to be a perfect fit in Anaheim, Mike Moustakas returns to Kansas City for 2018 after a lackluster offseason for many high profile free agents. Why did he never gain serious consideration from the Angels?The finale of our 5 part series on why the Angels will make the playoffs this season finishes up as well. While question marks remain, the Halos' lineup packs a ton of potential for the upcoming summer, especially at problem positions from the past few seasons.Mailbag Friday returns and we answer your questions live on the show. With Chris Young still out, is the 4th outfield spot up for grabs? Is Colin Walsh a legitimate candidate to crack the 25 man roster? Find out and listen in!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our postseason optimism series continues, as the Angels are slated to have arguably the best defense in baseball. With the new additions entering the fray, this group has an opportunity to be truly special.Justin Upton joins Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun in a very athletic outfield, while Andrelton Simmons leads an elite infield into 2018. Given the struggles of the pitching rotation in years past, the confidence and trust that this unit can bring to the hurlers can be inherently valuable.The Gear Grinder also returns for this episode, examining some of the ill effects of advanced analytics and numbers in today's game. Have we truly lost sight of everything that players can bring off the field?Garrett Richards looks primed and ready to perform as true ace this season, and he potentially holds the key to a very intriguing season for the Angels. Tune in and find out why!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we continue chatting why the Angels will make the playoffs in 2018, we bring Nick Hamelin on the show to get a different perspective on the club as spring marches on. Formerly of Baseball Essential, Nick Hamelin brings the first east-coast perspective to the show as he shares his thoughts on whether playoff baseball is in the cards for Anaheim. Justin Upton looks to be the biggest addition for the club in his mind, while Nick is not as optimistic or excited for Zack Cozart and his role with the organization.One thing we can all agree on? Mike Trout is the best baseball player on this planet. As long as he plays 150+ games, the Angels are a solid bet to contend for October baseball. An awesome episode with another phenomenal guest!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Angels will make the playoffs in 2018, and Part 2 of this series covers the huge hole in left field filled by Justin Upton. A perennial all-star added to the lineup adds a few more wins on the year, and his veteran leadership can also not be overlooked.Later in the show, Tuesday's Down on the Farm report returns, examining how the top prospects in the organization are performing in Cactus League action. Matt Thaiss is on a roll, Jaime Barria makes his case for the starting rotation, while Jahmai Jones shows promise and needed seasoning.Lastly, our thoughts on Cole Hamels and his recent comments about a six man rotation in Major League Baseball. His feelings could have certainly been a factor in the Ohtani sweepstakes. Tune in!Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Angels come into 2018 with many folks all aboard the hype train, predicting the Halos to earn a postseason berth. This week, we examine 5 reasons why the team will make the playoffs at season's end.Second base has been a black hole for the organization since the end of 2014, but this season, Ian Kinsler may solve the chasm of the problem. A proven veteran, Kinsler brings grit, experience, and bonafide talent to a much maligned position for the club. His presence likely means a few extra wins in 2018.After another weekend in Tempe, studs and duds are identified from the Cactus League Action as well. Shohei Ohtani dazzled and Garrett Richards looked sharp, while the final bench spot for the Opening Day roster still looks up for grabs. Finally, we also share our thoughts on some comments made by Justin Upton before the weekend, and why he went up a few notches in our book. Tune in!Be sure to follow us on Twitter @LockedOnAngels, or email us at lockedonangels@gmail.com.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices